A/N: Hey, everyone! I just want to thank all the awesome people that have reviewed or put my story on their favorites list. You all are great! So, please keep reading and reviewing!

Chapter 4

Carlisle's POV

"I have made you a vampire."

I knew as soon as the words had left my mouth that it was a terrible mistake. I had just told this fragile young woman who had recently lost her son and tried to kill herself that I had turned her into a vampire. What was I thinking? The look on Esme's face told me all I needed to know. At least half a dozen emotions flitted across her beautiful face in a matter of seconds. Confusion was first, as if I had spoken in a language she didn't understand. This was followed quickly by disbelief and finally, anger.

"Excuse me, sir? Did I understand you correctly? Did you actually just say that you have turned me into a vampire?" She was practically spitting the words out at me. "You're telling me now that I am a vampire? That is your explanation?" She laughed one time, short and bitter.

Thoughts were racing in my head. Maybe I could go back and change what I had said. Perhaps now was not the time to tell her that she was indeed a vampire, the living dead.

"No, Carlisle. You need to tell her now." Edward had somehow entered the room without me hearing him. Now, like so many other times, I wished that he could not hear my thoughts. I could never have any privacy, not even in my own head. I resented him for having that ability and was immediately struck with guilt. He could still hear me. But he seemed to pay my thoughts no more attention. Instead, he had his attention focused on Esme.

"Listen, miss, I'm sorry, but what Carlisle is saying is the truth. We too are vampires and Carlisle thought that it would be beneficial to turn you into one as well."

"No, Edward, stop. I need to be the one to explain my actions." Anger boiled inside of me at Edward's careless words. How dare he be so sarcastic and flippant over this! I turned back to Esme, pity in my eyes. "We all need to sit down and discuss everything. I will explain all of this to you. I will answer any questions that you might have and help you in any way that I can."

Esme stood in the corner, eyes closed and shaking her head. I tried to soothe her the best way I knew how. "I am very sorry that I have put you through this. I was trying to help you. And I'm sorry that this is the way you had to find out. But I really believe that if we all sit down and talk things over, that maybe we can all get through this together."

She still stood with her eyes closed. "We can get through this together? I wake up in a strange house after jumping off of a cliff with two people I don't know. I feel different, completely changed. I try to ask you what's wrong with me and you tell me that I am a vampire. How are you trying to help me?" She was suddenly yelling. "If you want to help, then please just tell me honestly what is wrong with me and take me to a doctor. I need to see my husband! I need to see him now!" Her eyes flashed open, red glinting in the light. Before I could do anything to stop her, she struck out at the fireplace and smashed her fist into the brick. Two of them crumbled to dust beneath her blow. Esme stood there wide eyed and shocked, looking at the destruction that she had caused. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. And then she sank to the ground, head in her hands, sobbing without tears.

My still heart seemed to crumble into dust along with the bricks at that moment. I thought back to the moment when I had first become a vampire. I was alone and scared. I made a promise to myself right then and there that Esme would never be alone. She may be scared, but I would make sure that she would always have someone if that was what she wanted. I reached out to put my hand on her shoulder, but she flinched violently back.

"Don't touch me!"

Edward had been standing still during this whole episode. He was staring now at Esme, with a mixture of pity and disgust in his amber eyes.

"Edward, if you'll excuse us for a moment?"

"Do you really think that's best?

"Yes."

Without another word, he stalked silently out of the room. I was left alone with the grieving Esme, at a loss for words for one of the first times in my life. Being a doctor, I often had to console patients or their families, but this was something different. I had never experienced anything like this before. Even Edward was different. When I had changed him I, of course, was met with disbelief. But once Edward discovered his true nature, he had not reacted like this. There was anger and rebellion, but not such grief as this. There seemed to be no possible words for what was happening here. But I would not have to be the first one to speak. Esme herself uttered the first words.

"Is it true? Are you really speaking the truth? Have I truly become a…?" She let her words trail off, unable to speak them out loud. She was still hunched down in the corner, with her head resting on her bent knees. "Surely your words must be a lie. But why would you lie to me about such a thing?" She was thinking out loud now, trying to reason with herself. She was trying to convince herself that there could be no possible way that I was telling the truth. I remember that feeling well; I often told myself this in the beginning. But when the urge for blood got unbearable, I could deny it no longer.

I spoke up quietly, sitting beside her on the floor. "I promise you that I am telling you the truth. I wish that I could say that I was lying and none of it is true, but I can't. I'm sorry."

Esme finally looked at me, made eye contact. "So, you want me to believe that the cause of my…ailment is vampirism?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so."

"But, no sane person believes in vampires. Just the superstitious ones. It can't be true." Again, she was trying to convince herself. But she didn't sound as sure this time.

"Esme, this is the reason for your differences. It is why your appearance is different. It's why you are incredibly strong. It is why you are extraordinarily observant, with your sight and hearing. And this is the reason why your thirst is so strong, yet you crave no water. This is why you thirst for blood."

"Oh, my God." I knew this got to her. She had finally realized what her strongest desire was: blood. And unfortunately, it was not the animal blood that Edward and I had made a diet of. It was human blood.

"Oh, God help me." She was looking towards me now, desperation evident on her face. "I think…I think that I need something. I am…I am so thirsty. Please help me. Oh, please help me!"

"It's okay. There's nothing to worry about. Edward and I go hunting for animals, so that we can drink their blood. We like to think of ourselves as vegetarian vampires. We don't hurt any humans, Esme. It makes us feel a little less like monsters." I could tell that her anxiety was growing, as well as her thirst. "Listen, I don't think that you are quite ready to go hunting for anything just yet. I'll go get Edward and he can catch you a deer or something, so that you won't be quite as thirsty any more. It will take some time for that pain in your throat to go away. The thirst is always intense for a newborn vampire."

She started pacing the room, back and forth, much too fast for a normal human. "I need to see my husband. Can you take me to him? I really need to see him."

I shook my head. I had been dreading this moment all along. "No, right now you need to stay here, so Edward can get you something to eat and I can watch after you. I am a doctor, remember." The conversation where I told her that she would never be able to see her husband again would have to wait. I knew the time was not right. She was in no state, emotionally or physically, to hear those painful words.

"But, I need to see John right now. He can save me. I know he can. He's probably so worried about me. I just have to see him!"

I needed to control her anger, before she ended up destroying something else or even hurting me. Newborns could be so very dangerous. She needed the blood; hopefully, that would calm her down enough so that I could fully explain the situation to her. I still wasn't completely sure that she even believed me. "Esme, why don't you just sit down while I go talk to Edward for a moment? I'll be back in one minute."

I found Edward in the next room. "Edward…"

"Yes, I will go hunting for her."

"Thank you."

I hurried back to talk to Esme. If I had been human, I would have gasped. "Oh, my God."

"Carlisle, what is it?" Edward had entered the room behind me.

I stared at the open door in disbelief.

"Esme is gone."

A/N: Okay, there's Chapter 4. I hope everybody likes it! Please give me some more awesome reviews, guys! The more I get, the faster I update! ;)